Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (06 – 12 March 2014).

Shooting:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian civilians, one of whom is a judge, in the West Bank, and 3 members of Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip. They wounded 16 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children. Fourteen of whom, including the 3 children in the West Bank, were wounded in the West Bank while the 2 others were wounded in the Gaza Strip. During the reporting period, Israeli forces launched 30 airstrikes on the northern and southern Gaza Strip; 29 of which were launched on Wednesday, 12 March 2014. Moreover, Israeli forces carried out 5 shooting incidents at fishing boats and 2 ones in the northern Gaza Strip.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces killed 3 members of Palestinian armed groups in al-Shouka village, east of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip. On Wednesday, 12 March 2014, Israeli forces launched 29 airstrikes on the north and south of the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian rockets. Moreover, an Israeli warplane raided 2 agricultural areas, north of the Gaza Strip. However, no casualties were reported.

In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea, Israeli navy forces opened fire 5 times at Palestinian fishing boats on 08 and 11 March 2014. Also on 11 March 2014, Israeli forces arrested 2 Palestinian fishermen off Gaza City shore and released them few hours later.

In the West Bank, in a cold-blooded murder, on Monday morning 10 March 2014, Israeli forces stationed at the al-Karamah crossing with Jordan killed a judge working in Amman Magistrate’s Court while he was on his way back to the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). Israeli forces claimed that the judge attempted to seize the weapon of an Israeli soldier who in response shot and killed him. Investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) refuted the Israeli claims and emphasized that the judge did not constitute any threat to the lives of the Israeli soldiers.

On the abovementioned day, in excessive use of force, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian in Beitin village, northeast of Ramallah. Israeli forces admitted they were responsible for killing the aforementioned person and claimed that Israeli soldiers opened fire at a number of Palestinian youngsters, who threw stones at settlers' vehicles on road (60) near "Givat Asaf" settlement outpost in which a Palestinian was killed.

On 08 March 2014, a Palestinian civilian was hit by a gas canister during an Israeli incursion in Ya'bad village, southwest of Jenin.

In the same context, Israeli forces used excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organised by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 6 Palestinian civilians, including 3 brothers, were wounded during Bil'in and al-Nabi Saleh protests, west and northwest of Ramallah.

In the same context, 7 Palestinian civilians were wounded, 6 of whom sustained bullet wounds, during a peaceful protest at the south-eastern entrance of al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah.